“Acorns were good until bread was found.” ~ Francis Bacon
Introduction
Today is National Bacon Lover’s Day, which excites me to share a story! You see - back in 2009, my boss asked me to attend a meeting in downtown Denver on a Thursday morning. That meant stopping on my way home between Boston and San Francisco in the Mile High City. I was excited to meet my new client and more eager to revisit the city and take a walking tour through West 14th Avenue near Civic Center Park. I always love clearing my head before a client presentation. That day, I decided to catch a cab, yes, a taxi to downtown. This was long before Uber or Lyft because they didn't reach Denver until 2013. The hotels were booked, so I stayed at a Holiday Inn near the Denver International Airport (DIA).
Connecting The Dots
I dropped my bag at the hotel, called an old high school friend, and scheduled a dinner for that evening near the Civic Center. I changed into jeans and walking shoes and headed to the lobby to catch a cab. I stood in line with 20 other sales folks, looking to get downtown before sunset. It was my turn to jump into a taxi, and up walked a guy in casual dress, asking to split the cost of a cab to downtown. We both said yes and headed to town!
By that time, we talked up a storm, sharing stories and reasons for our travel to DIA. We weren't at a loss for words, for sure. He shared he was from De Moines, Iowa, and I lit up! Not only is Iowa known for Pork production, but it is also where my family is from. Well, where my dad’s sister relocated to when she married an Iowa boy back in the day. They had two boys, and it just so happened that my experience with “Six Degrees of Separation” was about to unfold. The irony is that Kevin Bacon is the genesis of the “Bacon Movement.”
We continued that chat, matching coincidences, and finally, I connected the dots with some names. It just so happened that this man, Brooks Reynolds was the President of the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, and of course, my last name is Bacon! And Kevin Bacon is noted for his “Six Degrees of Separation.” All Kismet! This guy was in town selling his program to some principal backers that night. The cab was brewing with laughter and excitement, and I asked him, “Do you know my cousins Michael and Kevin?” He knew them, grew up in Des Moines, and attended school together. We laughed and joked about our mutual connection with the boys as the cab driver slid us in through Lower Downtown. By the end of our trip, we had exchanged business cards and agreed to call the guys and have a good laugh! Since that day, we have allowed the powers of LinkedIn and Kevin Bacon’s Six Degrees of Separation to keep us connected on one another’s developing careers.
So What About Bacon Anyway
Bacon comes with many backstories, but according to some research, pigs were brought to the United States in 1539. Hernando de Soto offloaded 13 pigs in the Tampa Bay Region, and they went feral. By the late 1800s, Oscar Meyer revolutionized Bacon curing and the mass production of pork. The surname Bacon dates back to early 1081 in Suffolk, England. The Bacon family were some of the first settlers to arrive in the New World (Canada and The United States) around the early 1700s.
Bacon, Bread, & Brie
Eating Bacon is a sport for Americans, we love to create new ways to engage in the art of Bacon. Whether beef wrapped in Bacon or an essential Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato (BLT) sandwich - we love it! Crispy fried BACON! One of my favorite paninis is the Sourdough Bread, Bacon, & Brie with Fig Jam.
A toasted Truckee Sourdough is one of the best sourdough bread loaves to hold up all that flavor. The Bacon should be thick-cut and baked in the oven for extra crispness. The brie should come from Marin French Cheese Company (Do your best here) - triple cream if you can get it. Grab fig jam along your grocer's charcuterie and cheese section - you won’t regret the flavor bomb. Take that home, leave the washed rind behind and gently scoop the triple cream from the wheel, and apply the jam and Bacon combo. Get that old cast iron panini maker hot, and be ready for a burst of umami in your mouth.
Wrapping It Up
The next time you are in a major city, consider taking an old-fashioned taxi cab to your destination, put away your phone, and start a conversation with the driver. Because you never know who you are connected to in this world. ⧫
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